A statewide meeting organized by the Ohio Liberty Coalition drew about 300 people to a church in Lewis Center, Ohio, Saturday. Speakers at the Reload 4 Liberty 2014! event discussed the Heartbeat Bill, a Right to Work ballot initiative and a strategy for winning races they say are ripe for picking. They also spoke on camera about Kasich, JobsOhio and RTW.

Ted Stevenot, who failed to qualify for the Republican primary ballot earlier this year, spoke about his precinct project. Stevenot has emerged as an activist who, despite his inability to challenge first-term incumbent Republican Gov. John R. Kasich in March, continues to preach his gospel of winning elections by turning out voters in typically low-turnout races, like happened when Republicans elected the 66 people who sit on the state GOP’s Central Committee.

Carol Bicking and Lisa Cooper shared the stage early afternoon to talk about the campaign to place a Ohio Workplace Freedom Amendment, a so called Right to Work (RTW) initiative, on the fall ballot next year. Watch Bicking and Cooper on 60 Seconds Ohio speak about their singular goal they claim will flood the state with more jobs.

Tom Zawistowski made the long drive from Medina County in Ohio’s northeast region, and also shared his thoughts on Gov. Kasich and JobsOhio on 60 Seconds Ohio. The statewide Tea Party leader expressed concerns over Kasich’s rush to hide JobsOhio’s records from the state auditor, calling the action “suspicious.”

Cooper and Bicking said they fear RTW won’t be passed even if the legislature remains under Republican control following the Nov. 4 General Election because some lawmakers are afraid to act for fear it will hurt their chances at reelection. They also said Gov. Kasich is clearly more interested in building his resume for national political office than helping their cause. Kasich is rumored to be planning a run in the GOP’s 2016 primary race to select a candidate that can win in two years against Hillary Clinton, the candidate political pundits and pollsters say could become the favorite of Democrats.

John Kasich’s fears may not be unfounded. The governor spent his first year in office pushing for, and then defending Senate Bill 5, which was overturned on November 8, 2011 when Ohioans voted overwhelmingly to repeal the bill. Kasich’s favorability ratings were negatively impacted for years following the defeat, especially with union members. Kasich and his team have been warning legislators not to pursue any type of RTW bills until after the election because he believes it could negatively impact his chances at reelection.

Zawistowski believes Gov. Kasich and his campaign used him and his Tea Party followers to win the governor’s office in 2010 and then dumped him and the Tea Party attitude to rein in government spending, stop Medicaid from expanding and make Ohio a RTW state. He likened Kasich and his team to a political mafia, taking care of their own at the expense of others. Tom Z, as he’s known, also wasn’t shy about taking Kasich on over JobsOhio, the governor’s pet project that privatized a formerly public agency, that critics including Zawistowski say should not be secret and out of reach of public accountability.

Who you kidding? This bunch and Kasich have a “wink-wink” agreement to hold tight until after Nov; ensuing tea party turnout and a GOP win…then Kasich and company will unload and fast track all those RTW, Heartbeat, and anti-public education bills…if anything, those actions will galvanize his support from the righties, tea-partiers and other lunatics who will decide the GOP 2016 nominee, state primary by state primary…James, Columbus

missskeptic

First of all, this was called RELOAD 4 Liberty, not Load, with it’s gun connotations. Second, it was held in a church, which is also a polling location every election day. Last, there’s this: “Zawistowski believes Gov. Kasich and his campaign used him and his Tea Party followers to win the governor’s office in 2010 and then dumped him and the Tea Party attitude to rein in government spending” to which I can only reply, No kidding.

dmoore2222

Ha. I think it’s hilarious. They thought only as far as the election cycle now they have to deal with these nut jobs who have come to define the republican party. And Johnny will be running his mouth during the campaign causing all kinds of dissonance.

Retrofuturistic

Hmm. So how come they didn’t wear their white sheets and pointy hats?

Think.

John Kasich and the ALEC-controlled GOP will soon realize that they created a monster…

MsAmerica

I think there is a good chance you are absolutely right.

MsAmerica

They probably have those outfits in their closets, hand-me-downs from older family members. These people hate the low-income, working poor they see on TV and don’t know. Add in hate targets of public servants (government workers of all levels) and anyone who doesn’t have really white skin. Tea Partiers assume people get government benefits of some kind but don’t work because they love being poor. BTW, a lot of the aforementioned folks just happen to be women and have had sex (gasp) and kids to prove it. Top it off with a nice layer of Good Old Time Religion and you’ve got a Tea Party meeting. Just kissing cousins to the pointy hats.